Game method, system and apparatus

ABSTRACT

A wagering game based upon one or more events. The wagering game can include a game board having any number of wagering areas disposed thereon. The wagering areas may further include one or more sets of wagering odds. Additionally, the game board can be correlated to an event which is displayed to any players of the game. Events may then be wagered on and, depending on the outcome of the events, winning wagers may be paid and losing wagers may be collected from the game board.

BACKGROUND

Board games are common novelty devices that allow one or more people to recreate or provide group entertainment. Typical board games involve a board and some form of skill or strategy that can be utilized to advance a player's position or situation and ultimately succeed in winning the game. Some exemplary board games involve one or more pieces, such as chess pieces or checkers, which are moved according to predetermined rules or dynamics. Other exemplary games involve a defined area where a player and his or her opponent or opponents must navigate or strategy maneuver therethrough.

Examples of casino or wagering-type games are also known. These games typically involve a player wagering an amount of money based upon one or more potential outcomes of the game. Roulette is one such game where players can make wagers on various outcomes. Here, a wheel having a defined set of numbers is spun and players can wager on a numbered slot where a ball will land. Each numbered slot is given the same set of odds. Additionally, any number of additional wagers may be made by a player, for example a wager on the color of the number, whether the number is odd or even or a range of numbers which will contain the ultimately winning number.

Board games and wagering games, however, are often repetitive and fail to engage or entertain players over time. Additionally the games are static such that the game is always played in the same manner based upon the same rules and often having a routine outcome.

SUMMARY

According to one exemplary embodiment, a wagering game may be described. The wagering game may include a game board comprising a plurality of wagering areas disposed on the game board, the wagering areas having content provided thereon; an event displayed and correlated to the content provided on the game board; one or more wagers placed in the wagering areas disposed on the game board; and an outcome of the event displayed that dictates the result of the one or more wagers.

Another exemplary embodiment may include a method of gaming. The method of gaming can include steps for selecting an event as the basis of a game; selecting a game board that is correlated to the event; appointing a commissioner to manage the game; placing wagers in designated areas of the game board; viewing the event; interpreting the results of the event; and determining the results of the placed wagers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram of a game board used in a gaming system.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary flow chart depicting steps of playing a game.

FIG. 3 is another exemplary diagram of a game board used in a gaming system.

FIG. 4 is another exemplary diagram of a game board using a gaming system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Aspects of the invention are disclosed in the following description and related drawings directed to specific embodiments of the invention. Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. Further, to facilitate an understanding of the description discussion of several terms used herein follows.

The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the term “embodiments of the invention” does not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.

Generally referring to FIGS. 1-4, a game system may be provided and described. The game system may include at least one playing board, one or more playing chips, one or more markers and one or more game cards. The game board may have a generic configuration, as shown in FIG. 1, or may have a configuration adapted for a particular known event or game. In different exemplary embodiments, the game board may be adapted for any of a variety of sporting events, for example a fighting sport, a field sport, a ball sport or any other type of sporting event.

In exemplary FIG. 1, a generic game board may be shown. The game board 100 may have any number of wagering areas 102 disposed thereon. As will be shown, the orientation of the game board 100 and wagering areas 102 may vary as desired for any particular game. The wagering areas 102 can be divided up or organized in any desired fashion and may have any content disposed thereon. In this exemplary embodiment, game board 100 includes wagering areas 102 that may emanate from a centrally located wagering area 104 or be otherwise oriented in any desired fashion. Further to this example, wagering areas 106 may be disposed outside of wagering area 104, wagering areas 108 may be disposed outside of wagering areas 106, wagering areas 110 may be disposed outside of wagering areas 108 and wagering areas 112 may be disposed at corners of game board 100.

Although the wagering areas 102 are oriented in a particular fashion in exemplary FIG. 1, any type of orientation, design or positioning may be used for wagering areas 102. Further, wagering areas 102 may be sized so as to accommodate a placement of one or more markers or marking devices and one or more chips, for example gambling or casino style chips. Additionally, any desired content, for example content related to a game being played or wagering indicia on game board 100 may be disposed on any of wagering areas 102. Also, wagering areas 102 may be divided or oriented in any fashion, for example in a manner where wagering odds or potential winnings vary based upon a location of an individual wagering area 102. Further, game board 100 may be formed in any size and may be made of any desired material or materials, for example paper, cardboard, metal, wood, plastic, felt, leather or any desired combination thereof. Also, different areas of game board 100 may be associated with or utilize different sets of rules. For example an outer area of game board 100 may be used for wagers at a first time or occurrence whereas an inner area of game board 100 may be used for wagers at a second time or occurrence.

In a further exemplary embodiment, a game system and method 200 may be used in conjunction with game board 100. The game system 200 can include any of a variety of steps which may allow for game system to be applied to any number of presently occurring, or live, events or situations or any number of predetermined, pre-designated or prearranged events or situations.

In this exemplary embodiment an event may be selected in step 202. The event may be any event, for example a sporting event, for which game system 200 may be applied. Examples of sporting events upon which game system 200 may be applied include, but are not limited to, football, baseball, basketball, hockey, boxing, mixed martial arts or any other type of sport or sporting event. Further, an event may include any number of other events that occur therein. For example, a football game may be considered as a singular event, but may also include any number of plays, each of which may further be considered as a singular event. Thus an event may be defined in any of a variety of manners as desired. Additionally, any other desired event may be utilized with game system 200, for example a television show or movie. Additionally, game system 200 may be utilized with a set of predetermined outcomes, for example cards listing actions as parts of events thereon, which may then be drawn and played as part of game system 200.

After an event has been selected in 202, an appropriate game board may be selected in 204. The selection of the game board in 204 may coincide with the selection of an event in 202. For example if football is chosen as the event in 202, then a football game board may be selected in 204. Similarly if mixed martial arts is selected in 202, then a mixed martial arts board may be selected in 204 and so forth.

Following the selection of the event and desired game board, a commissioner may be selected in 206. The selection of a commissioner in 206 may the appointment of a trustworthy party who may manage a game played by any number of individuals. Additionally, the commissioner may be appointed as part of that individual's duties, for example if he or she works at a casino or other gaming establishment, similar to a dealer or croupier. Additionally multiple people may team up or otherwise coordinate to act as commissioner or otherwise run the game. The commissioner (or dealer, croupier, etc.) may be in charge of running or operating the game. For example the commissioner may designate a time when players may begin to place wagers and a time when players may no longer place wagers. Additionally, the commissioner may be in charge of collecting money that was lost on wagers as well as distributing money that was won on wagers. Further, the commissioner may act to resolve any disputes that may occur during a game or event which he or she is commissioning, reposition any misplaced or otherwise wrongly positioned wagers or provide any desired guidance to any players of the game or event which he or she is commissioning.

Next, in 208, wagers may be placed on a game board. The wagers may be placed, for example, in wagering areas 102 of game board 100 shown in exemplary FIG. 1. The wagers may be made in any format, for example money, casino chips, novelty tokens or any other desired form. Additionally, any amount may be wagered in any desired area 102. In some exemplary embodiments, one or more particular wagering areas 102 may designate a minimum desired or required wager. Also, one or more wagering areas 102 may also designate a potential or actual payout should the content described in a wagering area happen or otherwise come to fruition. For example, some wagering areas 102 may provide odds, such as 2:1, whereby an individual who wagers 1 (one) betting unit would be awarded 2 (two) betting units if they win. Similarly, any other odds may be used in the game and shown in any respective wagering area 102. In some exemplary embodiments, higher odds may be given to events, situations or outcomes that are less likely to occur. These situations are explained further with respect to the examples described hereafter.

In some further exemplary embodiments, the wagers in 208 may be based on any desired strategy. For example, in some examples of game play, each player may begin an event having an equal number of betting units to wager. Therefore, the ultimate outcome may be based on any number of aggressive or conservative betting techniques.

Following the placement of wagers in 208, an event to which the game system 200 is coordinated may be viewed or played in 210. As described previously, a game board may be selected based upon an event that is selected in steps 204 and 202, respectively. The event may be one that is viewed, for example on television or any other viewing medium as desired, including live or in-person. Additionally the event may be one that is broadcast live so that the outcomes of the event are not known beforehand. However, in other exemplary embodiments, the event upon which the game may be played may be a prerecorded event or an event which occurs through a wheel, spinner, drawing of cards or the like that may contain predetermined outcomes, for example, by a commissioner. Additionally, as described previously, any wagers or wagering may be cut off or prevented at a certain time, for example a time at or before the beginning of the event specified in 202.

After the completion of any wagering in 208, the event described in 202 may be viewed at 210 and its results viewed and interpreted in 212. As described earlier, the event may be one that is occurring live and whose outcome is unknown. Additionally, the event may be such that it can include any number of different events. For example, a football game may have any number of events, such as football plays, football drives, special teams activities and the like. Each of these situations may be considered as an event and any appropriate or desired wager may be made as provided by game system 200 and the correlated game board selected in 204.

At the conclusion of an event, in 214 any losing wagers may be collected or otherwise removed from the game board and any winning wagers may be paid their winnings. Similar to the game of roulette in a casino, if an event, such as the roulette ball landing on a certain number, the roulette ball landing on a certain color, the roulette ball landing on a certain range of numbers or any other potential occurrence, any party who appropriately wagered on the fulfilled event may be considered to have placed a winning wager and may be paid according to any terms of the wager, as prescribed by the game board. As described previously, a commissioner may be responsible for attending to any or all winning or losing wagers. Further, following the completion of any collecting and payouts of wagers, a new round of wagering may begin as predicated upon a new event occurring. The game system 200 described herein may now be further described with respect to the more specific examples shown below.

As shown in exemplary FIG. 3, a game system, such as that described above, may be applied to mixed martial arts (MMA). Such a game system, described in this example as an MMA game, may utilize a game board 300 and any number of wagering areas 302, similar to those described previously. Additionally, the game may be played in any of a variety of manners. For example, wagers may be placed in wagering areas 302 and, following an event correlated to the wagering area, the individual who placed the wager may be paid an appropriate amount for winning or the individual's bet may be collected by the commissioner as the wager was lost. Alternatively, in some exemplary embodiments, a game may be played amongst individuals whereby a party who placed a winning wager may be paid by another party who is also playing the game by placing wagers. Similarly a party who placed a losing wager may be paid by another party who is also playing the game by placing wagers. The designation of a player who is responsible for the wagers of another player may be made in any desired format for any type of game, for example making a second player physically located to the left of a first player responsible for the collection and payment of the first player's wagers, making a third player physically located to the left of the second player responsible for the collection and payment of the second player's wagers and so forth, for example, in a circular fashion.

As shown on wagering areas 302 of game board 300, there are any of a variety of potential outcomes of an MMA fight on which to bet. Some outcomes may be based on an ultimate decision of a fight whereas other outcomes may be conditioned on a particular fighter or particular manner or method of the fight being decided. Such examples are described below but should not be construed as limiting; rather these examples are merely used to show potential exemplary embodiments and may be changed, altered or amended as desired for any version of the game system described herein.

In exemplary FIG. 3, a party may wager on a fighter, for example a fighter fighting out of a blue corner or a red corner, an outcome of a fight, a reason for the fight ending, a time of the fight ending or any combination thereof. Thus, in this exemplary embodiment, a wager may be placed on a win by knockout in areas 304 and 306, which may include a wager that either fighter wins by knockout of that the fighter in either corner wins by knockout (e.g. blue corner fighter wins by knockout in area 304 or red corner fighter wins by knockout in area 306). Similar wagers may be placed on a win by submission in areas 308 and 310, respectively. As is shown in the knockout field spanning areas 304 and 306 and the submission field spanning areas 308 and 310, a wager on a knockout or submission may be given odds of 2:1.

As shown in areas 312 through 318 and 322 through 326, different methods of a fighter winning a fight may be wagered on. These methods of victory, which can include injury or disqualification, arm submission, choke out, leg submission, eye gouge or low blow, punch or elbow knockout and kick or knee knockout may also include odds, for example ranging from 2:1 to 5:1. However, some areas may be awarded even if they do not end a fight. For example if a referee of a fight stops the fight because a fighter received a low blow or eye gouge as indicated in area 322, any party wagering on that area may receive the winning payout despite the fight being continued. It may also be noted that the odds of any wagering area may be adjusted as desired according to probability or any other factor. Additionally, as shown in area 320, a wager may be placed that a fight ends in an upcoming round. Such a wager may be placed, for example, prior to a fight beginning or during an intermission between any rounds of a fight. Such a wager may be given odds of 2:1

Still referring to exemplary FIG. 3, still other wagering areas and methods of wagering may be shown. In areas 328 through 358 the words “red” and “blue” are alternated and may refer to a fighter fighting out of either a red corner or a blue corner, as described previously. These areas may be used to overlap with any of areas 312 through 326 or 360 through 372. Thus, for example, a wager placed on a line between area 324 and area 352 may indicate a wager of the fighter from the red corner winning by a punch or elbow knockout. As this may be a more specific bet, for example because it may necessitate the fulfillment of multiple requirements in order to pay off (both the fighter from the red corner winning and the win coming by way of a punch or elbow knockout) than betting on solely the fight ending by such a knockout, the odds for this bet may be increased to 3:1. Similarly, if a wager is placed on a line between area 312 and area 330, a wager on a fighter from the blue corner winning by way of injury to an opponent or disqualification of an opponent may be indicated. As in the previous example, as this may be a more specific bet than that of either fighter winning by injury or disqualification, the odds may be increased to 12:1. Other similar bets may be made for any adjoining or overlapping areas as can be shown in exemplary FIG. 3.

Similar to the previous paragraph, wagers relating to areas 360 through 374 (Round 3, Round 4 or 5, Submission, Decision, TKO, Bloody Face, Round 1 and Round 2, respectively) may be made and winning wagers may be paid based upon the odds shown in such areas. Similarly, more specific wagers may be made by placing a bet on a line between any of areas 360 through 374 and 328 through 358, as described above. Also, for areas such as Bloody Face in area 370, a winning wager may be paid at such a time as a bloody face becomes apparent in the fight, even if such an occurrence does not cause an end to the fight.

Further, and still referring to exemplary FIG. 3, wagers may be placed in areas 376 through 380. Wagers in areas 376 through 380 are indicative of wagers that one fighter will be victorious over another fighter, without any stipulation as to time, method or manner. For example, wagers in areas 376 and 380 may be indicative of a fighter from the red corner winning a fight whereas wagers in areas 378 and 382 may be indicative of a fighter from a blue corner winning a fight. As these bets may be less specific bets, the odds given to them may be 1:1.

Additionally, with respect to FIG. 3 or any other exemplary method or manner of playing the game described herein, any number of wagers may be made at any appropriate time, for example any appropriate time as dictated by a commissioner or any other governing body. Additionally, any amount may be wagered and awarded or lost, again, for example, as dictated by a commissioner or any other governing body. Thus in some areas a wager may only be made before an event such as a fight begins whereas a wager in other areas may be made during the course of a fight or during an intermission of the fight, as described above. For example, with respect to FIG. 3, it may be decided that any wagers placed outside of line 384 may be made only before a fight starts, whereas wagers may be placed in any area inside of line 384 at predetermined or allowable times during a fight. Also, any disputes that arise during a fight may be decided by a commissioner. For example if it is unclear whether a kick or punch ended a fight, the commissioner may decide which wager is a winning wager. Additionally, the commissioner may declare that such a wager is a push and refund a player's wager.

Now referring to exemplary FIG. 4, a game system with respect to football may be shown. In this exemplary embodiment, game board 400 may include any number of wagering areas 402 that pertain to occurrences that may occur during the course of a football game. As with respect to the example above pertaining to mixed martial arts, this embodiment should be viewed as only exemplary and as but one manner of implementing the game system. Further, similar to the above exemplary embodiments, bets may be placed in any of a variety of fashions and a commissioner may regulate or otherwise control the game and collection or payoff of wagers.

In a football adaptation of a game system, as shown in FIG. 4, any of a variety of wagers may be placed that relate to any of a variety of conditions or occurrences that may happen during a football game. The exemplary conditions may be altered or amended as desired and may include any odds that may further be varied or changed as desired.

In on exemplary embodiment, one or more drive bets may be placed as shown in field 404. A drive in football can include the time from when a team takes possession of the football after a special teams play or following a turnover such as a fumble recovered by the defense or an interception.

The drive bets in field 404 are further divided into offensive drive bets 406, defensive drive bets 408 and referee drive bets 410. A drive bet may be placed prior to be beginning of a drive (for example prior to or after a kickoff or at any time prior to the beginning of the first play of a drive) and may stay active until the end of the current drive. Other limitations as to when drive bets may be made, for example drive bets may not be allowed after an offense enters the “red zone” (inside an opponent's twenty yard line). Additionally, any drive bet that is determined to be a winning bet may be picked up prior to the beginning of a following play or may be left in the desired betting area as an increased wager. For example, if a drive bet is not removed from a betting area prior to the offense snapping the ball or otherwise initiating a play, the bet can remain in place until the drive is completed. However, additional bets can be made during the drive. The timing for making any additional bets may be controlled by a commissioner, however, who may place limitations as desired. For example it may be determined that new drive bets taking place after the first play of a drive may only be made during extended play stoppages and prior to reaching the red zone.

As mentioned previously, offensive drive bets 406 can include any of a number of bets on occurrences as desired. In the present example, such bets can include a made field goal, touchdown, “big play” (over 25 yards), first down, either team's trainer coming onto the field, punt or an offensive team's coach winning a challenge. Exemplary odds for these bets are shown in FIG. 4 but may be varied as desired. Similarly, any other occurrences may be inserted, added or substituted into the offensive drive bets or any other betting field or area shown in exemplary FIG. 4. Further, defensive drive bets 408 can include a defensive touchdown, interception, fumble recovery, turnover, defensive line bat down of a pass, sack, loss of yardage (not caused by a penalty), safety of a defensive team's coach winning a challenge. Further, referee drive bets 410 can include the calling of a variety of penalties, for example holding, false start, encroachment, offsides, delay of game, intentional grounding, pass interference, illegal contact, face mask, horse collar, roughing the quarterback, unnecessary roughness, late hit and unsportsmanlike conduct. Additionally, other occurrences, such as the ejection of a player by a referee or the calling of the “chain gang” to measure yardage may be included in referee drive bets 410. As above, multiple bets may be made by any party and combination bets may be made as desired.

In a further exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, bets may be made per play in fields 412. Bets per play 412 can include offensive bets per play 414, defensive bets per play 416 and special teams bets per play 418. Bets per play 412 are bets that may be made prior to a play and which last only until the outcome of that play is decided, for example following a referee's designation of the end of a play and any reviews or challenges of the play.

Offensive bets per play 414, as shown in exemplary FIG. 4, can include, but are not limited to run middle, run left, run right, pass left, pass middle, pass right and touchdown. Bets can be paid out in a variety of manners, for example with the caveat that the play must result in the gain of positive yardage. Further, if there is an accepted penalty on a play, bets may be maintained until the following play. Additionally, the timing for placing a bet on a play may be such that it is made prior to the beginning of the play to be wagered on. Further, in some exemplary embodiments, all bets may include a combination of the play and a touchdown occurring. Further, after a team enters the red zone, the line bets may still include a combination of the play and a touchdown occurring, but the odds may be lowered. Additionally, terms such as middle, left and right may be defined in any desired manner. In one exemplary embodiment, a run middle may be a play where a ball runner crosses the line of scrimmage on or inside the hash marks; a pass middle may be a play where the ball is received and the receiver's feet or foot come down on or inside the hash marks. Further, in some exemplary embodiments, if a ball is passed forward but caught behind the line of scrimmage and then advanced over the line of scrimmage, a pass play may still be deemed to have happened. However, if the pass is a backwards pass, it can be determined to be a run play and judged accordingly.

Defensive bets per play 416 can include a turnover, sack, loss of yardage, incomplete pass, a fourth down stoppage or denial or any other desired potential defensive play. Similar to the above, certain rules can be further defined in any desired manner to decrease or eliminate ambiguity. For example, in the event of a quarterback spiking the football in order to stop the clock, any bets on that play may not count and may be advanced to the next play. Additionally, on loss of yardage plays there must be an actual loss of yardage rather than simply a stoppage that results in no yards gained.

Special teams bets per play 418 may further include field goal bets 420. Special teams bets per play can include a touchdown, fake that kick, roughing the kicker, pin the opposing team inside the nineteen yard line, onside recovery of a kickoff, block that kick, fumble for turnover, block in the back, pin the opposing team inside the ten yard line, onside kick failure and any other desired special teams play. Additionally, field goal bets may be made and may be based on yardage, as shown in fields 420. These yardages can may include bets for both made or missed field goals. As in previous embodiments, additional rules may be implemented to reduce ambiguities or clarify confusing situations, such as if an offensive team lines up for a field goal and ultimately runs a fake field goal, a winning bet may be paid if the offensive team scores or gets a first down and a bet may be lost if the offensive team fails to gain a first down or a score.

Red zone drive bets 422 may be made after an offensive team reaches an opponent's twenty yard line and may last for the duration of the drive at that point. Red zone drive bets 422 can include offensive touchdown, defensive touchdown, field goal, turnover, offensive penalty, defensive penalty, two point conversion successful, two point conversion unsuccessful and any other desired red zone play. Additionally, any other rules can be included, as in previous exemplary embodiments.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. 

1. A wagering game, comprising: a game board comprising: a plurality of wagering areas disposed on the game board, the wagering areas having content provided thereon; an event displayed and correlated to the content provided on the game board; one or more wagers placed in the wagering areas disposed on the game board; and an outcome of the event displayed that dictates the result of the one or more wagers.
 2. The wagering game of claim 1, wherein the content provided in the wagering areas comprises potential outcomes and occurrences of the event displayed.
 3. The wagering game of claim 1, wherein the content provided in the wagering areas comprises wagering odds.
 4. The wagering game of claim 1, wherein the event displayed is a live sporting event.
 5. The wagering game of claim 1, wherein the event displayed is a predetermined event.
 6. The wagering game of claim 5, wherein the event displayed is displayed on cards.
 7. The wagering game of claim 1, further comprising a commissioner.
 8. The wagering game of claim 7, wherein the commissioner controls the timing of the wagering.
 9. The wagering game of claim 7, wherein the commissioner controls the collection of lost bets and the payout of winning wagers.
 10. The wagering game of claim 7, wherein the commissioner interprets the outcome of the displayed event.
 11. The wagering game of claim 7, wherein the commissioner resolves ambiguities in the outcome of the displayed event.
 12. The wagering game of claim 1, wherein the one or more wagers are at least one of wagers on singular events or wagers on combinations of events.
 13. A method of gaming, comprising: selecting an event as the basis of a game; selecting a game board that is correlated to the event; appointing a commissioner to manage the game; placing wagers in designated areas of the game board; viewing the event; interpreting the results of the event; and determining the results of the placed wagers.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the event is a sporting event.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the designated areas of the game board are wagering fields having indicia related to the event printed thereon.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the designated areas of the game board have betting odds printed thereon.
 17. The method of claim 13, further comprising deciding, by the commissioner, an appropriate result of any ambiguous results of the event. 